MEMPHIS, TN – Authorities in Memphis have arrested a woman accused of kidnapping a father and his two young children after offering them a ride, resulting in a harrowing ordeal that ended in violence.
The incident unfolded on Sunday along Overton Crossing Street, as a father and his two children, ages 5 and 2, were walking together. According to police, 40-year-old Latrica Allen stopped her vehicle, a 2009 Chrysler Sebring, and offered the family a lift. The father agreed and offered Allen $20 before he and his children entered the car.
Investigators say what began as an apparent gesture of goodwill quickly took a troubling turn. Soon after entering the vehicle, the father said Allen allegedly told him, “I always wanted kids, and I have a better place to take you.” The unsettling statement prompted the father to ask Allen to pull over and let them out, but police say she refused.
As the situation escalated, the father took desperate action about a mile from where the ride began. He reportedly grabbed the steering wheel and stepped on the brakes to force the car to stop. After successfully bringing the vehicle to a halt, the father managed to help his two children out of the car and onto the street.
However, authorities say Allen was not finished. As the family tried to leave, Allen allegedly attacked the father, scratching him and then biting his hand. Court documents state he was left with visible injuries, including scratches on his neck and a bite mark on his right hand.
In her haste, Allen fled the scene but inadvertently left her driver’s license behind, which police say helped them quickly identify her as a suspect. Officers were already on the scene when Allen reportedly returned later, at which point she was taken into custody without further incident.
Allen faces charges of kidnapping and misdemeanor assault following her arrest. She was booked into the Shelby County Jail and appeared for a video arraignment on Monday. Court records indicate her bond was set at $11,000.
She is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on October 6, with another appearance set for October 22. Further details regarding a possible motive or background of the suspect have not been released.
The children were not reported to be physically harmed during the ordeal. The case remains under investigation by Memphis police.